Shloka 22

शिशुमार-रूपं, ध्रुवबन्धनम्, वृष्टिचक्र-पालनम्, नारायणाधारत्वम्

Devanagari script

वृष्ट्या धृतम् इदं सर्वम् अन्नं निष्पाद्यते यया सापि निष्पाद्यते वृष्टिः सवित्रा मुनिसत्तम

Transliteration

vṛṣṭyā dhṛtam idaṃ sarvam annaṃ niṣpādyate yayā sāpi niṣpādyate vṛṣṭiḥ savitrā munisattama

Translation

By rain, indeed, this entire world is upheld; by it, food is brought forth. And that very rain, O best of sages, is itself brought into being by Savitṛ—the Sun—who governs the ordered flow of nourishment.

Word by Word

• वृष्ट्या: by rain
• वृष्ट्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• धृतम्: supported, sustained
• धृतम्: Karta (Predicate adjective/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √धृ (धातु) → धृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (इदम् सर्वम्)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सर्वम्: all, entire
• सर्वम्: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (इदम्)

• अन्नम्: food, grain
• अन्नम्: Karta (Subject of niṣpādyate/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• निष्पाद्यते: is produced, is brought forth
• निष्पाद्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निस्-√पद्/√पाद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• यया: by which (rain)
• यया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम

• सा: that (rain)
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपि: also
• अपि: Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चय (also/even)

• निष्पाद्यते: is produced
• निष्पाद्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निस्-√पद्/√पाद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि (passive)

• वृष्टिः: rain
• वृष्टिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सवित्रा: by Savitṛ (the Sun)
• सवित्रा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• मुनिसत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: कर्मधारय (सत्तमः मुनिः); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: What sustains life on earth and how rain and food arise through cosmic governance (Savitṛ)

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: explanatory

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The world is upheld by rain, rain yields food, and rain itself is generated through Savitṛ’s ordered governance of nourishment.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate reverence for natural cycles—sun, rain, food—through sustainable living and grateful offering before consumption.

Vishishtadvaita: Natural causality is not autonomous; cosmic functions operate as delegated powers within the Lord’s ordered administration.

Characters & Entities

• Savitṛ (Sun)
• Rain (vṛṣṭi)
• Food/Grain (anna)

FAQs

What is the significance of rain in the Vishnu Purana’s view of cosmic order?

This verse presents rain as the immediate support of the world because it generates food; it is a key link in the sustaining rhythm of nature.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of Savitṛ (the Sun) here?

Parāśara states that the sun is the causal regulator behind rainfall, making Savitṛ the governing principle that enables nourishment and continuity of life.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this context?

Even when specific deities like Savitṛ are named, the Purana’s broader theology treats such cosmic functions as operating within the supreme, sustaining order ultimately grounded in Vishnu.